Serpent
by TheLonelyMan
Summary: I haven't written in a while, so I decided to start fresh with a story from a show I love. This will be about Alice Cooper, and a slightly fictional take of her past that will incorporate parts of the show. SPOILERS AHEAD!
1. Chapter 1

_Hunched over her computer, just typing and typing like some secretary in an old-time Chicago bank. But that's what happens when you won't hire anyone else to help._

 _Why would you need to hire anyone? This isn't the New York Times, it's a dinky little paper that barely reaches more than a hundred and thirty two subscribers at best. Besides, hiring someone would mean having to pay them. Why waste good money on that?_

 _So why are you complaining? Just finish the damn story and return to your boring little house and your bland-as-white-bread husband and your stupid little girl who you'd keep in a cardboard box if you could._

 _This is the life you wanted, Alice. So shut up and do what a good blond-headed Barbie doll like you does: work, eat, and sleep. Nothing more, nothing less._

That night, as Alice finished brushing her hair for bed, she decided to put on her special nightgown. Not the one that Hal had bought for her thirteen years ago. The one she'd bought for herself.

Deep in the back of her closet, it lay motionless on a dusty hanger, wrapped in crinkled plastic. The design wasn't anything fancy; it already had more than a few patches and thread lines from various periods of needlework. But it had a sentimental value, like an old heirloom passed down from another generation.

It was dark, the bulb having just burned out, so Alice had to use her hands to feel for the plastic. When she did find it, she pulled it right off the hanger and into the light.

Only it wasn't her old nightgown. It was a black leather jacket. With a green serpent stenciled on the back.

Alice froze. She could hear Hal's steps as he walked up the stairs. She barely managed to stuff the jacket under her bed before he entered.

"Alice, why are wearing a towel? It's almost ten in the evening."

"None of your damn business, Hal. Now give a girl some privacy!"

He shrugged and closed the door behind him. She was alone again.

Retrieving the jacket, Alice held it at arm's length, like a bag of garbage. She hadn't worn this rag in nearly thirty years; that wasn't going to change anytime soon.

But just looking at it brought the memories back. _Back when things were very different. Back when she wasn't named Cooper._


	2. Chapter 2

_October, 1985_. _That's where it all started._

The padlock on her locker was stuck.

Alice cursed under her breath. Her books for English class were in there. She still had three chapters in _Animal Farm_ to finish. And a paper for chemistry class that needed a conclusion. And a worn-out pencil to replace with a new one from her bulk supply.

A girl walked up next to her. A girl she didn't particularly like. _Penny._

"Hi, Alice. Where's my paper for chemistry?"

"Currently, it's in my locker, Penny. Which I can't open. You want to help?"

Penny snickered. She was a babyface compared to Alice, nearly two years younger, but taller and more intimidating. She walked over to the lock, parsing it over with her fingers.

Then she gave it a strong tug. It snapped off like a twig. Opening Alice's locker, she grabbed her paper.

"Thanks, _little darlin'._ ", she said in an exaggerated accent. And she was gone.

Alice found her books. One day, she silently vowed, she would put that perky little brat in her place. She was smarter, older, and prettier. If anyone deserved to boss the weaklings around and make them do her homework, it was her.

That evening, Alice's history teacher gave her $30 to sweep his classroom, which had been gathering dust since Southside High laid off its night janitorial staff to save money.

When she was finished, she stored the broom back in its closet, put her denim jacket back on, and left the classroom, making sure the door was locked tight.

The halls were dark. _What, they shut the power off too?_

But then she spotted something. It was an unmistakable sight. _The flicker of a lighter._

A lighter meant only one thing. And before she could finish her thoughts, they fell upon her.

Boys. Big, burly boys in stenciled jackets. With the letter "G" on the back.

The Ghoulies.

And their leader was none other than the biggest and burliest of them all.


	3. Chapter 3

Anyone with an once of sense in their head never called him by his real name. Instead, they knew him by his other moniker: Hogg.

And judging by the size of his belly, he certainly looked like one. His jacket was a size too big, and his undershirt barely held back his fat stomach. But he was as ugly and strong as a bull, with hands big enough to crush teacups in and still have enough space to hold one of the many cigarettes he smoked when he wasn't attending class.

The smashing of his thick Army surplus boots got louder and louder as he walked up to Alice, held down by a dozen beefy arms. She could hear him attempt something close to a laugh through his snout.

"Well, what have we here? Don't you know the rules, sweetie? Only we Ghoulies get to roam the halls at night."

One of the other Ghoulies turned his head. "What should we do with her, Hogg?"

Another started going through her bag. "She's got thirty bucks. Not enough for the fee."

Hogg laughed-or choked, it was hard to tell-and turned to Alice. "Maybe she can offer us...something else."

He put his mammoth hands on her shirt, feeling for her breasts.

"Looks like Suzy Q here has some nice, firm biscuits, boys. Who wants a bite?"

Pinned down, Alice could offer only a muffled scream as Hogg started to work his way to her bra...

Until a rock hit him square in his fat nose. Blood squirted out and all over the other Ghoulies. They yelled, and released Alice from their collective grip.

Another rock came sailing through the air, striking a Ghoulie right in his face and smashing right through his glasses. Then a third, and a fourth, and a fifth.

Suddenly, voices started to carry through the air. "You're dead, ya Ghoulies!", said someone in a Brooklyn drawl.

"Kill them all!", said someone else in a booming voice.

"For the Serpents!"

The Ghoulies panicked. "The Serpents?!"

"How the hell did they get in here?!"

"Let's scram!"

"Out of my way, pipsqueak!"

"I'll break your nose for that, piggy!"

As they ran down the hall, their voices getting fainter and fainter, Alice could hear the Serpents approaching. Knowing full well they might want a "reward" for saving her, she dug out a pencil and held it out like a knife.

She could make out one of the shadows as a girl. _That's weird. None of the Serpents are female._

"A thanks would be nice, _little darlin'._ "


	4. Chapter 4

Alice ended up spending the night sleeping in Penny's old Chevy, which wasn't nearly as comfortable as she would have wanted. But it was either that, or risk trying to walk home without getting jumped.

Penny managed to procure a bottle of something strong, and the two girls drank it down and split a cigarette. Through it all, they talked.

"Were you really alone?"

"Yeah. But I know how to throw my voice around. And those Ghoulies are all muscle and no brains. They think the Serpents are close, they'll just up and run. Seen it myself more than a few times."

"But then why you'd come for me?"

"I didn't. I came because I was hungry, and because the cafeteria always throws out yesterday's lunch. But that doesn't mean I'm gonna let those apes have their way with you."

"Why are you eating out of the garbage?"

"Heh. You make it sound like I've got a choice."

"You don't?"

"Listen, honey. Girl like me, I don't have a home. This beat-up old junker is my home. Parents? Never met them. I want to eat, I have to find it myself. Get the picture?"

"I don't have parents, either. Foster home."

"You actually like it there? Those places are nothing but rat latrines with leaky roofs."

"Where else am I gonna live?"

"You wanna live with me? I could be your big sister."

"I'm older than you."

"Really? Cause you sure don't act like it."

"You really think I'll be happy here?"

"Doesn't matter if you're happy or not. What matters is that you need someone to look out for you. And I can teach you things. Especially how to deal with those punk Ghoulies. So, little sis, you in?"

"Okay, Penny."

"Actually, it's probably best if you use my last name."

"What's that?"

"Peabody. Consider it yours now, too."


	5. Chapter 5

Lunchtime at Southside High. Today's menu: something resembling meatloaf, potatoes scraped from an old tin can, and milk a day from expiring. But at least it was food.

The seating arrangements were largely dictated by which gang one belonged to. The Ghoulies took up nearly three tables on their own; the Serpents, sitting directly across from them, the same number. Down the ladder were the smaller outfits: the Big Dogs, the Red Banner Boys, and the League of the Southside. They paid either the Ghoulies or the Serpents for the privilege of not getting shaken down during lunch, but otherwise did their best to stay out of the way.

That morning, Hogg was given the job of collecting the fees. The Dogs and the Boys both paid up without much trouble, but the League grew a spine and refused to pay. One of them, a kid wearing an old newsboy cap, was especially clear.

"You think we owe you crap, fat boy? I heard you got jumped by some Serpents the other night. Maybe we should be paying them, since they don't shit their pants like cowards and run for their mommies!"

Hogg just stood there dumbfounded, like he didn't understand a word. But the moment the kid finished running his mouth, he grabbed someone's empty lunch tray and beat him so hard, the tray split in half like a wet snickerdoodle. Through the thick bandages covering his nose, Hogg barked out another one of his laughs and went to join the other Ghoulie bosses at their table to cheers and slaps on the back for putting the upstart in his place.

Seeing all this, Alice tossed the rest of her meal in the trash and joined her big sister at the end of the line of kids hastily trying to escape the cafeteria.

"Sheesh, it's getting worse in here. Can't remember the last time someone wouldn't pay those dimwits."

"Do we really have to eat here, Penny? The food is disgusting, and we can't afford protection."

"Hey, you think we'd stay here if things were different? Never pass up on free food. Not unless you can afford to buy your own. Which we can't. Look, I've got a plan, Alice. You just need to trust me, okay?"

"Okay. I trust you, Penny."

"Good to hear. Now come on. We're ditching class."

"Why?"

"God, you ask too many questions. We're gonna go see someone. He's a friend."


	6. Chapter 6

At the edge of the Southside, there was an old bar called the White Wyrm. As far as anyone knew, it had always belonged to the Southside Serpents. It was owned by a Serpent, the staff were all Serpents, and most of the clientele were Serpents as well. If you weren't a Serpent, you had to have a special invitation to enter. Penny knew that. And she knew just who to ask for one.

Legally, his name was Forsythe Pendleton Jones II, but he had made it clear long ago that the only name he would EVER answer to was "FP". Everyone who knew him respected his wishes, because he wasn't just any kid. He was the boss's kid.

Penny and Alice found him that afternoon dealing cards to three other Serpents playing blackjack. One of them got agitated and started hollering about his bad hand, and another yelled at him to shut up, and before long all three were punching and kicking each other while hissing like cats. FP neatly folded the remaining cards and slipped them into his pocket before walking away. It was then that Penny made her move.

"FP Jones?"

He turned his head. After all, that voice was unmistakable.

"Penny Peabody. What the hell do you want now?"

"Oh come on, FP. So I beat you at poker. And dice."

"Don't forget backgammon."

Alice looked surprised.

"Wait, you gamble?"

Now FP turned around.

"Who's this? Your friend?"

"Actually, this is my little sister, Alice. She and I need to get into the White Wyrm."

"Tough luck. Only Serpents get into the Wyrm."

"Not unless we have an invitation. And I still believe you owe me."

"Fine. But why? You couldn't find a better hole to piss your time away in?"

"Funny. I need to see your daddy."

"Go ahead. But you'll be wasting his time. And he doesn't like that."


	7. Chapter 7

FP waved them past the bouncer, then took off. Inside, the White Wyrm smelled exactly how one would expect a gang hideout to smell like. Spilled alcohol, tobacco smoke, body odor, cheap air freshener, and warm breath combined to create a pungent atmosphere that Alice found hard to inhale into her lungs. Penny must have noticed, because she put her hand over her sister's nose.

"Just keep walking. Let's not give these punks any reason to think we don't belong here."

The office of one Forsythe Pendleton Jones I was located directly above the bar, behind a door with faded lettering that spelled "UTILITY CLOSET. KNOCK."

With her free hand, Penny did just that. A voice replied: "Enter!"

Alice turned the knob and swung the door open. Mr. Jones sat in a battered wooden chair behind the desk he'd probably salvaged from some remote junkyard, his feet up on the surface as he scraped mud off his shoes with a broad-bladed knife.

He motioned for Alice to close the door. When she did, he laid the knife down, put his feet back on the floor, and folded his hands under his head.

The girls stayed silent. Jones was a man feared for both his temper and his overall unstable personality. Ever since he'd returned from Vietnam, there was a lingering sense of paranoia, easily tripped by a careless word or incorrect gesture. He rarely spoke except to issue orders, and anyone who didn't show their deference when he walked by got a new scar as a reminder not to repeat their mistake. In a town where the police essentially didn't exist, there was no one who dared challenge him.

After a few moments, Mr. Jones let a devious little smile spread across his face. He stood up, and walked over to Penny, knife in hand. He felt her hair, and rubbed the blade against her cheek.

"I know you. You're that good-for-nothing tramp who's made a fool out of my son! Beaten by a girl! I would've tanned his hide if he wasn't my flesh and blood! And now you come into my bar, into my office, like we're family! I should cut out your eyes and use them for ice cubes, you skank!"

But then he suddenly stopped yelling. Instead, he ran his fingers down Alice's face.

"But I'll forgive you for everything. Because you've brought me a gift. This girl looks old enough to run things for me. She'll work off my son's debts."

Penny could see tears forming in Alice's eyes. She was terrified. She hadn't signed up for this life. She didn't belong in this cesspit.

So she spoke up. "Let her go. I'll pay FP's debts, I swear. Just hear me out."

"Why should I?"

"Because...because she's my sister. And the reason why we're here is...we want to join the Serpents."


	8. Chapter 8

Mr. Jones let the thought roll around in his head for about a minute or so. Then he slammed the blade of his knife right down on the surface of his desk.

"You what?!"

"We want to join the Serpents. Isn't that what the rules say? Anyone can join?"

Mr. Jones collected himself. Even someone as hotheaded as he knew to respect the Law of the Serpent.

"Sure, sure, that's what they say. But there's more to it than that. When you become a Serpent, you're a Serpent to the grave. Do you understand?"

"Yes."

"And you?"

With an encouraging slap on the back from Penny, Alice replied, "Yes, sir."

Mr. Jones got up from his desk. He took a pair of glasses out of his pocket. "Follow me."

He took them down to the bar. "Rattler, open the back. No one goes in till I come out."

The greasy bartender took a key from the ring on his belt and opened the door to the pantry. As soon as the party entered, he closed the door and locked it.

From behind a pile of old boxes stacked up on a high shelf, Mr. Jones removed a old book, wrapped in dusty paper.

"This is the Law. It is our Bible, passed down through generations. Every rule we live by is listed in its pages."

Putting on his glasses, he flipped all the way to the middle of the book.

"Repeat after me. A Serpent is never ashamed of who he is. He wears his colors. He lets no insult or curse dishonor them."

"A Serpent is never ashamed of who he is. He wears his colors. He lets no insult or curse dishonor them."

"Second. A Serpent protects his brothers. If they are imprisoned, he feeds their families. If they need help, he offers it. He does not betray their trust."

"A Serpent protects his brothers. If they are imprisoned, he feeds their families. If they need help, he offers it. He does not betray their trust."

"Third. A Serpent who breaks these commandments is worse than a traitor. He cannot be trusted, and is not welcome. The community of Serpents will decide his fate."

"A Serpent who breaks these commandments is worse than a traitor. He cannot be trusted, and is not welcome. The community of Serpents will decide his fate."

"Now you'll prove your commitment."

Once Rattler let them out, Mr. Jones led them to another room, this one next to the pool hall. He struck the bell hanging next to the door.

The door swung open. A tall, heavyset woman with her black hair in a braid that came down to her belt buckle and the same Serpent jacket as him emerged.

"You two. This is my wife, Belinda. Belinda, these two need to be tested."

"Oh, really? Come on in, sweethearts."

Once inside, she slammed the door. A light flickered on, and three more female Serpents came out of the shadows. Two had the same face and were almost certainly twins, and the third, in a tight skirt, looked like she had a yellow hedgehog on the back of her head. Alice knew better than to laugh.

"Little Mindy, get the tank."


End file.
